{{infobox|The White Rabbit of Inaba|Just offshore at Hakuto Beach is a small island that is part of a local folktale. The story goes that a rabbit was trapped on the island, longing to return to his family on the mainland. He tricked a family of sharks into lining up so he could hop on their backs to the shore, but as he reached the last shark, he sneered that he had deceived them; enraged, the sharks tore off all the rabbit's fur. To make matters worse, some cruel gods told the rabbit he would be cured if he bathed in the sea, which he did, only to find that the salt stung his wounds quite badly. The youngest brother of the gods, Okuninushi no Mikoto, felt sorry for the crying rabbit, and told him to bathe in fresh water and dry off with cattails. The rabbit was cured and predicted that the god would become the ruler of the Inaba region, which came true. Reminders of this story abound in the Tottori area, and you will see the white rabbit on everything from bridges to sewer grates to flower arrangements, sometimes accompanied by a rather fat god carrying a big sack.}}

{{infobox|The White Rabbit of Inaba|Just offshore at Hakuto Beach is a small island that is part of a local folktale. The story goes that a rabbit was trapped on the island, longing to return to his family on the mainland. He tricked a family of sharks into lining up so he could hop on their backs to the shore, but as he reached the last shark, he sneered that he had deceived them; enraged, the sharks tore off all the rabbit's fur. To make matters worse, some cruel gods told the rabbit he would be cured if he bathed in the sea, which he did, only to find that the salt stung his wounds quite badly. The youngest brother of the gods, Okuninushi no Mikoto, felt sorry for the crying rabbit, and told him to bathe in fresh water and dry off with cattails. The rabbit was cured and predicted that the god would become the ruler of the Inaba region, which came true. Reminders of this story abound in the Tottori area, and you will see the white rabbit on everything from bridges to sewer grates to flower arrangements, sometimes accompanied by a rather fat god carrying a big sack.}}

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* <see name="Tottori Sand Dunes" alt="鳥取砂丘 ''Tottori sakyū''" address="" directions="" phone="+81 0857-26-7238" email="" fax="" url="http://www.tottorisakyu.jp/english/index3.html" hours="Open 24 hours. Special activities typically begin at 9AM" price="Free"> 16km from east to west, the Tottori Sand Dunes are a favorite target for climbing, exploring, and more. The main portion of the dunes are much smaller than 16km (about 2km, east to west), but they can still be impressive. If you arrive ''very'' early in the morning, you can see the unique patterns carved by the wind before they get trampled by the scores of people who come to climb the biggest dune. If you'd prefer not to get sand in your shoes, a cable car ride (¥200 one way) leads to the Dune Observatory Center. After heavy rains, the oasis below the ''uma no se'' (the largest dune) forms into a beautiful lake. The 200¥ loop bus is the cheapest way of getting to the dunes from Tottori station; the local bus will cost 360 ¥.</see>

+

* <see name="Tottori Sand Dunes" alt="鳥取砂丘 ''Tottori sakyū''" address="" directions="" phone="+81 0857-26-7238" email="" fax="" url="http://www.tottorisakyu.jp/english/index3.html" hours="Open 24 hours. Special activities typically begin at 9AM" price="Free"> 16km from east to west, the Tottori Sand Dunes are a favorite target for climbing, exploring, and more. The main portion of the dunes are much smaller than 16km (about 2km, east to west), but they can still be impressive. If you arrive ''very'' early in the morning, you can see the unique patterns carved by the wind before they get trampled by the scores of people who come to climb the biggest dune. If you'd prefer not to get sand in your shoes, a cable car ride (¥200 one way) leads to the Dune Observatory Center. After heavy rains, the oasis below the ''uma no se'' (the largest dune) forms into a beautiful lake. The 200¥ loop bus is the cheapest way of getting to the dunes from Tottori station; the local bus will cost 360 ¥, or 310¥ if you stop at "kodomo no kuni" stop, where you can walk right away on the dunes from the west side. </see>

*<sleep name="National Hotel" alt="ホテルナショナル" address="１５９ Eirakuonsencho" directions="" phone="+81 0857-24-7511" url="http://hotel-national.jp‎/" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from ¥4800" lat="" long="">nice clean business hotel just a few steps away from the station, rooms are comfortable, internet by LAN cable; staff is very friendly, breakfast for &yen300, this hotel has two buildings, one being cheaper than the other, but even there the room are large with aircon, bath and washlet </sleep>

===Mid-range===

===Mid-range===

Revision as of 08:20, 14 April 2012

Tottori (鳥取) [34] and its sand dunes are among the best reasons to visit western Japan. There's more to do than climbing and collecting seashells — hang-gliders, sandboards, and even camels await.

Understand

Tottori Sand Dunes

It's useless. The sand can swallow up cities and countries, if it wants to.

Kobo Abe's existential meditation on sand and work, The Woman in the Dunes, was published in 1964. Although the novel does not mention Tottori by name, it was a natural choice for the film adaptation of Abe's book. "There has never been sand photography like this (no, not even in Lawrence of Arabia)," said Roger Ebert, of the Oscar-nominated film.

You will, almost certainly, have a better visit than did the story's protagonist, Niki Junpei; come to collect insects, Junpei was fascinated by the patterns and movement of the sand, and missed the last train. Locals offered him lodging for the night, but the next morning, Junpei discovered that he was a prisoner at the bottom of a sandpit, which he and an unnamed woman must shovel out every day in order to keep the house and village from being swallowed in the endless, enigmatic movement of the sand.

The city itself is the industrial center of the prefecture, with several big electronics factories for companies like Sanyo. The fishing industry is also quite lively. There are also two universities, which attract agricultural students and researchers from other parts of Japan and a small number of foreign students. Although the number of foreign residents in Tottori is low, compared to other major cities in Japan, its 250,000 locals are certainly friendly — and thoroughly unlikely to strand you at the bottom of a sand pit.

Get around

Loop Kirinjishi bus

By bus

There are two buses in Tottori: the Loop Kirinjishi and the ¥100 Bus Kururi. For the sand dunes and port, take the Loop Kirinjishi bus. A special sakyū bus runs from the train and central bus station — it plays the sand dunes' theme song as it goes by.

The ¥100 Bus has two routes, Red and Blue. The buses depart every 20 minutes from JR Tottori Station. (As the name suggests, trips of any distance are ¥100.) The red bus starts running 8:05AM (9AM on weekends and holidays) and makes its last departure at 6PM. The blue bus starts at 8:05AM (9:10AM on weekends and holidays) with a last departure at 6:10PM.

On foot

The city center, between the train station and Mt. Kyusho, is easily navigable on foot. From downtown, a wide and pleasant greenbelt leads to the beach. Starting from JR Tottori Station, walk west about 5 blocks to find the river, Sendai-gawa. Head right when you find the path. The walk takes about 45 minutes. To get to the sand dunes, it is best to take the bus. Walking is possible, but it will take a few hours to get there.

See

The White Rabbit of Inaba
Just offshore at Hakuto Beach is a small island that is part of a local folktale. The story goes that a rabbit was trapped on the island, longing to return to his family on the mainland. He tricked a family of sharks into lining up so he could hop on their backs to the shore, but as he reached the last shark, he sneered that he had deceived them; enraged, the sharks tore off all the rabbit's fur. To make matters worse, some cruel gods told the rabbit he would be cured if he bathed in the sea, which he did, only to find that the salt stung his wounds quite badly. The youngest brother of the gods, Okuninushi no Mikoto, felt sorry for the crying rabbit, and told him to bathe in fresh water and dry off with cattails. The rabbit was cured and predicted that the god would become the ruler of the Inaba region, which came true. Reminders of this story abound in the Tottori area, and you will see the white rabbit on everything from bridges to sewer grates to flower arrangements, sometimes accompanied by a rather fat god carrying a big sack.

Tottori Sand Dunes (鳥取砂丘 ''Tottori sakyū''), ☎+81 0857-26-7238, [4]. Open 24 hours. Special activities typically begin at 9AM. 16km from east to west, the Tottori Sand Dunes are a favorite target for climbing, exploring, and more. The main portion of the dunes are much smaller than 16km (about 2km, east to west), but they can still be impressive. If you arrive very early in the morning, you can see the unique patterns carved by the wind before they get trampled by the scores of people who come to climb the biggest dune. If you'd prefer not to get sand in your shoes, a cable car ride (¥200 one way) leads to the Dune Observatory Center. After heavy rains, the oasis below the uma no se (the largest dune) forms into a beautiful lake. The 200¥ loop bus is the cheapest way of getting to the dunes from Tottori station; the local bus will cost 360 ¥, or 310¥ if you stop at "kodomo no kuni" stop, where you can walk right away on the dunes from the west side. Free.

Tottori Castle

Tottori Castle Ruins, Higashi-cho, ☎+81 0857-22-3318. Enter anytime. Built in 1545, Tottori Castle was destroyed in a massive siege in the 19th century, and only the foundations remain. The site offers a nice view of the city below from the lower reaches of Mt. Kyusho. The surrounding park is the perfect place to go during cherry-blossom season.Free.

Tottori Prefectural Museum, 2-124 Higashi-cho, ☎+81 0857-26-8042, [5]. Tu-Su 9AM-5PM. A two-story museum that displays the flora and fauna of Tottori, regional rocks and minerals, historical artifacts, festival and local cultural artifacts, and a variety of art produced in the city. (Be aware that most, but not all, of the prehistoric artifacts are reproductions; most of the other displays are real, though.) Some of the standouts are the largest preserved squid in Japan and a live giant salamander.¥180 adults, college students and under free.

Jinpukaku Mansion

Jinpukaku Mansion, 2-121 Higashi-cho, ☎+81 0857-26-3595. Tu-Su. This French-style mansion was home to the remnants of the Edo-era feudal clan, Ikeda. It's about 11 minutes on the blue bus from JR Tottori Station.¥150.

Kannon-in, ☎+81 0857-24-5641, [6]. 8:30AM-5PM. Constructed in 1632, this is the 32nd temple along the Chugoku 33 Kannon Temple Pilgrimage. While the temple itself does not look particularly special, the garden inside is what makes this such a great place to visit. The temple doors are removed upon entering so that you can sit and enjoy the beautiful pond garden from inside. The garden is quite peaceful, as the only sounds you can hear are the birds in the trees. It's easy to forget you're in a city.Entrance is listed as ¥600, but this charge includes tea. If you don't want the tea, you can enter for ¥300.

Ochidani Shrine, 87 Uemachi (¥100 bus to Ochidani Kouen Yamabikokan-mae), ☎+81 0857-22-3318. Built in 1650 by Mitsunaka Ikeda, the first lord of Tottori. The god worshipped here is the same worshipped at Toshogu Shrine in Nikko. It's a popular place to watch fireflies at night in the late summer.Free.

Warabekan (Children's Museum), 3-202 Nishimachi, ☎+81 0857-22-7070, [7]. 9AM-5PM, closed the 3rd Wednesday of every month. This museum features a re-creation of an old school building and many interesting tin toys. It's about 5 minutes on the blue bus from JR Tottori Station.¥500, high school students and younger are free.

Tottori Mingei Museum of Folkcrafts (鳥取民藝美術舘 tottori mingei bijutsukan), 651 Sakae-machi, ☎+81 0857-26-2367. Th-Tu 10AM-5PM. Despite the name, this small, two story museum displays mainly pottery and glass, but also has some textiles, woodwork, and bamboo work. The Ushinotoyaki pottery is the highlight of the collection. Just outside the museum, there is a place (the hexagonal structure) to pray for and make offerings to deceased orphans. With the stained-glass, it has an interesting Christian-Buddhist fusion feel. It's about 25 minutes on the blue bus from JR Tottori Station.¥500 adults, free for students and elderly.

Genchuji, 176 Shinhonji-cho, ☎+81 0857-22-5294. 9AM-4PM. This temple is the site of the grave of Araki Mataemon, a legendary swordsman. In a famous story, he came to the aid of a man who was seeking in vengeance; the actual sword he used is displayed on the temple grounds. Rakan (paintings of high ranking Buddhists) are painted on the fusuma (screen doors) inside the temple by Keitaro Takagi. While traditional priest paintings are stoic, these paintings are quite candid, with rather comical appearances.¥300.

Tottori City History Museum (やまびこ館), 88 Uemachi, ☎+81 0857-23-2140, [8]. 9AM-5PM. Interactive multimedia and digital displays about the city's history and culture. It's about 15 minutes on the red bus from JR Tottori Station.¥500 adults, high school and under free.

Kawahara Castle, 1011 Tanihitotsugi, Kawahara-cho, ☎0858-85-0046, [11]. Tu-Su 9AM-5PM, to 9PM Sa April-Sept. Located in the far-eastern reaches of the city limits, the castle offers a spectacular view. It is said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi stopped here and dreamed about a peaceful, united Japan prior to uniting the nation himself. From JR Tottori Station, take the bus for Chizo and get off at Kawahara (30 minutes). The castle is a 15 minute walk from the bus stop.Free.

Saji Astro Park, 1017-1 Takayama, Saji-cho, ☎0858-89-1011, [13]. 9AM-9PM, to 10PM April-Sept. Houses a planetarium and the largest telescope in Japan.¥300 adults, ¥200 junior high students and younger.

Ube Shrine Honden

Shikano Castle Ruins, 1517 Shikano-cho, Shikano, ☎+81 0857-84-2099. Enter anytime. Although none of the original castle remains, the inner and outer moats and stone columns can still be seen. It's most popular during cherry blossom season with approximately 500 trees scattered throughout the castle grounds.Free.

Ube Shrine, 651 Miyanoshita, Kokufu-cho (Bus to Miyanoshita Jinja-mae), ☎+81 0857-22-3318, [14]. The first shrine to be built in the Inaba area, which consists of the entire eastern half of modern Tottori Prefecture. Praying at this shrine is believed to bestow fertility, long life, and wealth.Free.

Watanabe Museum, 1-55-1 Tsutsumishita, Kakuji (Sakyu bus to Watanabe Museum), ☎+81 0857-24-1152, [15]. This privately-owned museum houses a wild display of samurai armor and artifacts, as well as a selection of other things such as musical instruments and ukiyo-e woodblock prints.¥900 adults, ¥500 high school and college students, ¥300 younger.

Do

Sand Dunes

There's a lot to do at the sand dunes. Pay close attention to operating days/seasons and make reservations before getting your heart set on a specific activity, though.

Camel Rides, 2164-449 Yuyama, Fukube-cho, ☎+81 0857-23-1735. 9AM-5PM. Anyone who knows anything about sand dunes knows that they're meant to be traveled atop a camel. You'll find the camels by the main entrance (east), in front of the lift. Note, however, that the actual riding time is quite brief. You may want to watch other riders make the short (less than 10 minute) circuit before paying for a ride.One rider ¥1800, two ¥3000. If you just want your picture taken atop a camel, it costs ¥500. The price is a bit steep, but you did get into the dunes for free.

Horse-drawn Carriage Rides. While it may not be as much of a Lawrence of Arabia experience, the horse-drawn carriages are still fun. The ride lasts approximately 15 minutes. Board next to the camels.¥1000 adults, ¥600 children.

Hang Gliding, 283-6 Yuyama, Fukube-cho, ☎+81 0857-75-2282. Courses are offered daily from April through November. Full day courses suitable for beginners, offered by professional hang-gliders from Kyoto Air Sports. Because you need to be there for the entire course to get airborne, you must make a reservation. Walk-ins are not accepted.¥11,000.

Paragliding, 1-1155-36 Hamasaka, ☎+81 0857-29-9098. Daily from late March to November. Half-day courses suitable for beginners, operated by professionals from Zero Paragliding Sports. If you've never tried paragliding, these sandy surfaces are a good place to start. Reservations required.¥6500 for each half-day course.

Sandboarding, ☎+81 0857-23-1749. Thursdays, April 15 to Nov 30. This is by far the best place in Japan to experience sandboarding. Each course lasts 2 hours, reservations required. There must also be at least 10 people signed up for that day, or the course will be cancelled.¥2500 per course.

Beaches

With the Sea of Japan as its northern border, Tottori has some excellent beaches.

Hakuto Beach (白兎), ☎+81 0857-26-0756. Famous for its association with the White Rabbit of Inaba; in fact, the name of the beach means "white rabbit". This beach was the rabbit's destination after his shark-hop.

Idegahama Beach, ☎+81 0857-85-0015. So nice the sand will sing to you (narisuna). The sand at Idegahama is made of silica, and when you walk on it, it makes a pleasant sound. The sand at Idegahama was even worshipped long ago because of the melodies that rang from the sand. To hear the sand at its best, come when it is hot.

Natsudomari Beach, ☎+81 0857-22-3318. For more than 400 years, these waters have been worked by female divers with their own special method of fish-catching. If you are lucky, you may even see them today.

Uradome Beach, ☎+81 0857-72-3481. Designated as a national park, the coast just east of the sand dunes is rugged and magnificent. Contact the Iwami-cho Tourist Association.

Others

Starting from the castle ruins, climbing Mt. Kyusho takes around half an hour and offers a great view of the city and surrounding area, all the way out to the sand dunes. But watch out for the ghosts of those who starved at the top during the castle siege.

Relax at Tottori Hot Spring, not far from JR Tottori Station, or at Yoshioka Hot Spring. Both have brochures at the information desk in the train station.

Festivals

Shan-Shan Festival. Mid-August. More than 4,000 people participate in the parades of the "Inaba Umbrella Dance", using ornate umbrellas covered in bells and colorful strips of paper. Snap a photo of the over-sized one hanging year-round in the train station, as it is a symbol of this area.

San In Beach Party, [16]. Early July. This all-weekend party is rated as one of the best outdoor events in the country. The 2007 event gathered more than a thousand guests from far and wide, and half of those were foreigners. There are DJs at night, live music during the day, come-as-you-please workshops on the beach, beach game tournaments, food stalls, and the famous beach bar. Hotel and camping facilities are available — contact the organizers if you need specific information. It's held at a beautiful bay about 10km out of Tottori called Kozomi (west along Route 9 towards Yonago).Tickets ¥6000 advance, ¥7000 at the festival.

Tottori Sand Dune Illuminations. December. At the end of each year, the sand dunes are lit up at night, and on New Years Eve, there is a countdown to the New Year.

Buy

Walking east from the station, you will find a string of small shops lining the main street to the right. Kato Kamiten, a stationary shop in the second block east, has an colorful and interesting selection of locally-produced paper on its second floor.

Daimaru (鳥取大丸), 2-151 Imamati, ☎+81 0857-25-2111, [17]. 10AM-7:30PM. Five story department store just east of the station. Aside from the usual fashion, there's a food court in the basement and a rooftop family beer garden in the summer, with a tent for the rainy season.

At the southeast corner of Sakaemachi, you will find a large two-story store in which everything for sale was made locally, including pottery, paper, clothing, dolls, and food.

Jusco (イオン鳥取北ショッピングセンター), ☎+81 0857-38-3300, [18]. Opens at 9AM and closes in stages between 10-11PM. West of the river, near the coast, sits this shopping area anchored by a large Jusco store, with some restaurants and specialty shops around as well. Buses run from JR Tottori Station (about 40 minutes).

Eat

Tottori is most famous for its pears; cookies, cakes, and other sweets are made from them. Have a look at the omiyage shop in the train station, at the local handcraft shop two blocks up the main street, or in the basement floor of Daimaru. Another local specialty is shallots, grown in huge fields out near the sand dunes and pickled for appetizers.

Crab and white squid are the best of the local catch.

There is a reasonable kaitenzushi (conveyor-belt sushi) restaurant, as well as other restaurants inside the Shamine department store in JR Tottori Station. A number of popular chain restaurants can be found in in the city center, such as Wara Wara (笑笑), Doma Doma (どまどま), and Shirokiya (白木屋).

Cafe Source, 227 Yayoi-cho, ☎+81 0857-21-3457, [19]. 12PM-12AM. Go up the main street from the station several blocks. Just before you come to the river, you'll find this café on the right, on the second floor. Classy atmosphere and tasty selections from an eclectic menu. If you're not up for a full meal, stop in for the drinks and desserts.Lunch sets from ¥850, dinner from ¥2950.

Karoichi (かろいち), 3-27-1 Nishi-cho, ☎+81 0857-38-8866, [20]. Most restaurants 11AM-4PM, 5-10PM. A large seafood market with a view of the coast. Among the several restaurants, Wakabayashi Sushi is good and cheap — an eight piece nigiri set is ¥700. It's inside the market near the right entrance.

Drink

To find the main drinking district, which is an area about 2 blocks by 3 blocks, walk about two blocks up the main street from the train station, take a right and go down about a block. There are plenty of izakaya and small pubs.

Big Apple, 3-24-2 Koyama-cho higashi, ☎+81 0857-28-2413. Tu-Su 6PM-2AM. By day, Big Apple is a diner for the neighborhood's factory workers, but on weekend nights they often bring in DJs and clear the tables from the dance floor. It's a short walk north from JR Koyama Station, just off Route 9.

DNA, 753 Suehiro Onsen-cho, ☎+81 0857-22-7005, [21]. Located in the heart of the entertainment area, DNA is the nightclub in Tottori. They have 3 rooms (main hall, dining & a VIP room) that can hold up to 250 people. Major events are held at the weekend, with international artists, while their mid-week schedule includes lower key events such as quiz nights, dance lessons, and fashion shows, with imported beers to enjoy. The owners are an English guy and an Israeli guy who have lived in Tottori for a decade, so they have good local info.

Luz, 271-1 Suehiro-onsen-cho, ☎+81 0857-21-7567. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-1AM. This place has nice African decor. Try the mamushi-shu, which is sake with a drowned viper snake inside. The Israelis who sell jewelry in front of the place can sometimes be a very valuable source of information. It's across from the Lawson.

Sleep

Garden at Kannon-in, Tottori

Budget

Yanagijaya Campground (柳茶屋キャンプ場). Free campsite right next to Kids' Land (こどもの国 Kodomo no kuni), west of the sand dunes. There are free showers in the Cycling Terminal building next door.

National Hotel (ホテルナショナル), １５９ Eirakuonsencho, ☎+81 0857-24-7511, [24]. nice clean business hotel just a few steps away from the station, rooms are comfortable, internet by LAN cable; staff is very friendly, breakfast for &yen300, this hotel has two buildings, one being cheaper than the other, but even there the room are large with aircon, bath and washlet Rooms from ¥4800.

Mid-range

Tottori City Hotel (鳥取シティホテル), 471 Ebisu-machi, ☎+81 0857-27-6211, [25]. Basic, no-frills business hotel, with a good location in the city center.Rooms from ¥5000.

Hotel Alpha One Tottori (ホテルアルファーワン鳥取), 759 Suehiro-onsen-cho, ☎+81 0857-29-9188, [26]. Great hospitality and rooms bigger than average, with a good buffet breakfast.Rooms from ¥5100.